University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
11-19, 0
Presbyterian
14-18, 0
Cuozzi Connects With Three Hits in Series-Finale Loss
04.07.2019 | Baseball
CLINTON, S.C. – Despite a three-hit and two-RBI game from sophomore Anthony Cuozzi, the UNC Asheville baseball team dropped Sunday's Big South Conference road contest to Presbyterian, 7-2, at the PC Baseball Complex.
BULLDOG BITES
Highlights
The first two innings went by fast for both teams, as the two squads combined for just two hits - both singles. UNC Asheville starting pitcher Greg Gasparro recorded one strikeout in the first two scoreless frames.
Asheville's offense broke through in the top of the third, as it took advantage of three hits and an error. Joe Gruszka started the inning with a single to right field. Andrew Friedholm reached base safely via a PC throwing error on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Cuozzi struck a one-out single through the right side to plate Gruszka from second to give the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead.
After holding the Blue Hose scoreless for the first three frames, Presbyterian eventually broke through in the bottom of the fourth via a bases-loaded walk. The walk knotted the game at 1-all.
PC doubled its lead in the fifth with a one-out RBI double from Nick Guimbarda.
An inning later, the Blue Hose nearly added more runs but pitching efforts from Ethan Tressler and Joe Sondock stranded two runners on base and kept the deficit to just one run, 2-1.
Asheville tried to start a rally before the seventh-inning stretch, but Gruszka and Wade Chandler were left stranded on base.
Up 2-1, Presbyterian added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Highlighting the inning for PC was an Ashby Smith three-run home run to push the lead to 6-1.
The Blue Hose added an insurance run in the eighth inning to push the lead to 7-1.
Asheville attempted a late rally, as Carmine Pagano and Gruszka each reached base safely to start the ninth inning. After two outs, Cuozzi continued his hot stretch with another RBI single, but the five-run deficit (7-2) was as close as the Bulldogs would get in the loss.
Cuozzi had a phenomenal day at the plate, as the sophomore went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Gruszka was also strong, as the junior connected with a pair of singles. He also touched home once.
Gasparro was strong in his start on the hill, as the junior went five innings. He allowed two runs and struck out four Blue Hose.
Tressler and Sondock combined for a scoreless sixth inning.
JP Perez stopped the bleeding in the eighth inning for UNC Asheville, as he struck out the only batter he faced.
With the loss, UNC Asheville falls to 11-19 overall and 6-6 in league play. PC moves to 14-18 on the year and 7-5 in the Big South.
What's Next?
The Bulldogs are scheduled to host non-conference rival Appalachian State in a midweek matchup on Wednesday, April 10. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Greenwood Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: FOWLER, Reagan (3-4)
L: Gasparro, Greg (1-5)
Batting:
RBI: Cuozzi, Anthony 2
SH: Friedholm, Andrew 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Pagano, Carmine 1 ; Gruszka, Joe 1
HBP: Pagano, Carmine 1
Batting:
2B: GUIMBARDA, Nick 1
HR: SMITH, Ashby 1
RBI: COOK, Johnny 1 ; GUIMBARDA, Nick 1 ; MARCELLI, Jimmy 1 ; SMITH, Ashby 3 ; Varga, Michael 1
SH: Varga, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: RASBERRY, Zacchaeus 2 ; COOK, Johnny 1 ; GUIMBARDA, Nick 1 ; MARCELLI, Jimmy 1 ; WHITE, Jonathan 1 ; SMITH, Ashby 1
SB: RASBERRY, Zacchaeus 2
HBP: WHITE, Jonathan 1
